Power management company Eaton has introduced Procision™, a new line of medium-duty dual clutch transmissions, that delivers eight to 10 percent better fuel economy than a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic.
Scheduled to be available in the North American market mid-year in 2015 and available globally in the future, the new 7-speed transmissions feature a dual clutch design and electronic shifting that uses grade, vehicle weight and throttle input to provide optimal fuel efficiency and smooth, continuous delivery of torque to a vehicle’s wheels under all shift conditions.
“Small businesses rely on their class 6 and 7 (up to 16 tons) medium-duty trucks to deliver goods and perform tough jobs on a daily basis,” said John Beering, senior vice president and general manager, Eaton Commercial Vehicle Transmission. “The all-new Eaton Procision is the first dual clutch transmission for class 6-7 in North America. Its smart features deliver more savings and driver confidence, and it is the ideal transmission solution for medium-duty applications.”
Eaton employed the dual clutch technology to allow for more efficient acceleration from a stopped position, and to optimise shift points that will efficiently get to the highest gear. Gear changes are made by swapping the engine torque between clutches with the next gear preselected.
“The highly efficient dual clutch technology with a closed loop control system significantly reduces slip and steady state losses that are associated with torque converter automatic transmissions,” said Jeff Carpenter, engineering manager, Medium-Duty Procision.
The dual clutch module is fully contained within the transmission, hydraulically controlled and oil cooled for extended life. A five-spring damper is used to control torsional vibrations and is fully sealed to eliminate contamination.
“Our customers had direct input on the features they want in a medium-duty transmission, and because of this real-world input the Eaton Procision is smart from the word go,” said Joe Semaan, commercial vehicle segment director, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “It is easy to tailor, which is key for fleet owners looking to put trucks on the road that best meet their business needs.”
Smart features such as Eaton Dynamic Shifting allow the transmission to automatically switch between economy and performance shift schedules based on mass, gradient and driver demand. Base shift results are modified dynamically based on available torque, engine acceleration and grade.
Economy and performance shift tables can be adjusted to tune an overall calibration to meet any customer’s specific needs. The calibration flexibility is the most ever offered on an Eaton transmission.
Owners and drivers alike will appreciate optional and adjustable Urge to Move and Creep Mode, which provide best-in-class low-speed maneuverability. Optional and adjustable Hill Helper technology prevents roll back or roll forward for up to three seconds while on gradients of up to eight percent, allowing for a controlled launch. With Procision, these features can be turned on and off using Eaton’s ServiceRanger software.
Procision is a smart choice with three standard Power Take-Off (PTO) openings. PTO functionality can be enabled via the ServiceRanger software. This flexibility is a competitive advantage for Procision and enhances value to both first owners and the secondary market.
The Eaton Procision transmission features an optimised design that delivers eight to 10 percent or greater fuel economy improvement over a torque converter automatic. The Procision is fully integrated with Cummins Vehicle Acceleration Management, which can be used in conjunction with Eaton Dynamic Shifting to reduce the impact of aggressive driving on fuel economy. The optimised Urge to Move and Creep Mode provide an excellent balance of efficiency and performance. These features can be disabled for even greater fuel economy if desired. In addition, transmission load on the engine is actively reduced when the truck is stopped for increased fuel economy.
Eaton Procision transmissions utilise a new synthetic transmission fluid which provides component protection while reducing maintenance costs thanks to 240,000 km lube and filter change intervals. The internal sump filter and electrical system do not require maintenance.
“With the fuel efficiency and low maintenance costs, Procision transmissions promise to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership for any medium-duty transmission in the commercial vehicle market today,” added Beering. “This is a world-class transmission that helps deliver safe, confident and easy operation for any driver by delivering optimal performance in many driving environments.”
“Customers told us that they wanted features that made their trucks easier to drive,” said Carpenter. “So we engineered a host of features that instill confidence and maximise efficiency for operators with routes on hilly, difficult terrain, or those who navigate tight turns and traffic as part of an urban route.”
Brake-pedal-actuated Tap Down Shifting gives the driver more control by downshifting on gradients or other conditions without removing their hands from the wheel or eyes from the road.
Creep Mode allows controlled low-speed parking lot and loading dock driving without applying the accelerator. Forward and Reverse creep speeds are independently adjustable to allow a customised lower speed in reverse.
In Low mode, Automatic Grade Braking downshifts the transmission to help slow the truck on long, steep gradients and increase brake pad life.
“Because medium-duty customers rely on their truck day in and day out, reliability is key,” said Carpenter. “Our extensive reliability testing program takes into consideration a variety of geographies, vocations and duty cycles. We’ve put this transmission through things that an average customer would never experience.”
The Procision design life (B-10) is 10 years/640,000 km. Eaton Procision transmissions carry a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty, which covers the complete system including the dual clutch module, in commercial vehicle applications.